James Last (Hans Last, * April 17, 1929 in Bremen, † June, 9, 2015 in Flori… Read Full Bio ↴James Last (Hans Last, * April 17, 1929 in Bremen, † June, 9, 2015 in Florida) was a German composer and big band leader with a large fan base in Europe and world-wide. Last's trademark was arranging pop hits in a big-band style; his series of "party albums" is equally well-known. Over the course of his career, he has sold well over 100 million albums.

Last learned how to play piano as child, switching to bass as a teenager. He joined Hans-Gunther Oesterreich's Radio Bremen Dance Orchestra in 1946, when he was 17 years old. In 1948, he became the leader of the Becker-Last Ensemble, which performed for seven years. During that time, he was voted as the best bassist in the country by a German jazz poll for three consecutive years, from 1950-1952. After the disbandment of the Becker-Last Ensemble, he became the in-house arranger for Polydor Records, as well as for a number of European radio stations. For the next decade, he helped arrange hits for artists like Helmut Zacharias and Caterina Valente.

Last released his first album "Non-Stop Dancing" in 1965. The record of brief renditions of popular songs, all tied together by an insistent dance beat and joyous crowd noises. It was a hit and helped make him a major European star. Over the next four decades, Last has released over 190 records, including several more volumes of Non-Stop Dancing. On these records, he varies his formula by adding different songs from different countries and genres, as well as guest performers like Richard Clayderman and Astrud Gilberto.

Though his concerts and albums are consistently successful — especially in England, where he had 52 hit albums between 1967-1986, which made him second to Elvis Presley in terms of number of charting records — he has only had two hit singles with "The Seduction," the theme from American Gigolo (1980) and Biscaya from the album "Biscaya".

He has won numerous polls and prizes, for example Billboard magazine's "Star of the year" trophy in 1976, and has been honored for his lifework with the German ECHO prize in 1994.

The song "The Lonely Shepherd", written by Last and performed by Gheorghe Zamfir and the James Last Orchestra, was featured in the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's film "Kill Bill Vol. 1" (2003).

Personally, he divides his time between Florida and Germany. He gives much credit to his wife and son, who helps with the music.

Caravan
James Last Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Night and stars above that shine so bright
The myst'ry of their fading light
That shines upon our caravan

Sleep upon my shoulder as we creep
Across the sand so I may keep
The mem'ry of our caravan

This is so exciting
You are so inviting
Resting in my arms
As I thrill to the magic charms
Of you beside me here beneath the blue

My dream of love is coming true
Within our desert caravan

Overall Meaning

The song "Caravan" by James Last is a romantic ballad that tells the story of a couple travelling through the desert in a caravan. The first verse describes the beauty of the night sky and the fading light of the stars shining above. The second verse portrays the couple as they cling to each other, travelling across the sand in the caravan. The singer affectionately asks his lover to rest her head on his shoulder, as he treasures the memories of their journey together. The chorus expresses the excitement of the singer as he revels in the passion and magic of their love.

The lyrics of "Caravan" are evocative of a sense of adventure and romance, and they are enhanced by the lush and sweeping musical accompaniment. The song captures the essence of a desert journey, and the way that a journey through harsh and mysterious landscapes can lead to a deeper connection between two people. The overall effect is one of dreamy escapism and unabashed romanticism.

Overall, the lyrics of "Caravan" paint a vivid picture of a couple travelling through a desert landscape, and the way that their love is strengthened by the journey. The song is a beautiful example of a romantic ballad, with lush musical accompaniment and heartfelt sentiment that captures the imagination.

Line by Line Meaning

Night and stars above that shine so bright
The night sky is decorated with bright stars.

The myst'ry of their fading light
The stars are slowly disappearing, adding mystery to the night sky.

That shines upon our caravan
The stars cast their gentle glow on the group's moving caravan.

Sleep upon my shoulder as we creep
The artist is inviting someone to rest their head on their shoulder as they move slowly through the desert.

Across the sand so I may keep
The artist is enjoying the experience and wants to keep the memory of it forever.

The mem'ry of our caravan
The singer wants to cherish this moment forever.

This is so exciting
The experience of traveling across the desert is thrilling.

You are so inviting
The person with the artist is alluring and welcoming.

Resting in my arms
The artist and their companion are close and physically connected.

As I thrill to the magic charms
The artist is enjoying the enchanting atmosphere of the desert with their companion.

Of you beside me here beneath the blue
The couple is together under the blue desert sky.

My dream of love is coming true
The artist's romantic dreams are coming true during this experience.

Within our desert caravan
The caravan is the setting for this romantic experience.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RACHEL MARY BERKELEY PORTMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

JerzyRugby

Thank you for sharing! At the moment, I have Last's manuscript in front of me and can read the score while hearing the music. It's amazing to see how Hans gave the musicians the freedom they needed. A total expert in choosing the right guys for the session.